Keyboard Shortcuts

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Tablet / Phone Users: Double tap the centre column to make it full screen.

Some of these keyboard shortcuts are pretty common yet a lot of people don't seem to know about them.

By searching with Google, you can find many links to Keyboard shortcuts.

These are the favourites we use.

Keyboard Shortcuts - (Windows)

CTRL+F6

Switches documents in most programs when you have more than one open.

Windows Key+Pause

opens system properties real fast.

Windows Key+E

opens Explorer

Windows Key+F

Search

Windows Key+L

Locks your computer, re-input your login password to unlock.

Windows Key+T

Items on Taskbar. Use the arrow keys to select the item you want, Spacebar or Enter to open it.

Windows Key+T then Tab

Selects Quick Launch toolbar (if it is activated and showing on the Taskbar), use Arrow Keys to navigate, Enter to select.

Windows Key+B

Items in System Tray Use the arrow keys to select the item you want, Spacebar or Enter to open it.

Windows Key+D

Minimize all windows, brings up desktop.

Click + Shift Click

Need to highlight a word, sentence, whole paragraph or more? Click on the start or end of the area you want to highlight, then Shift Click on the opposite end of the area. Presto, the area in between the two clicks is highlighted, ready to be copied, cut, bolded or whatever.

Click + Hold Down Shift + Left or Right Arrow

Similar to above, Click at the start or end of an area you want to highlight, hold down the Shift key and use the left or right arrow keys to highlight the area quickly.

Browser Keyboard Shortcuts - (Firefox)

Space

Moves down a page. So fast to use, you can use your thumb.

Backspace

Back to previous page.

CTRL+T

Opens new tab.

CTRL+W

close current page - handy for the popups that get by.

F6 or CTRL+L

highlights the address bar so you can just start typing.

CTRL+N

opens a new browser window.

CTRL+F

find on this page.

CTRL+ENTER

adds "www" to the beginning & ".com" to the end of the text typed in the address bar.

Shift+Click

opens link in a new page leaving the original underneath.

Click+Shift Click

Want to print part of a page, not the whole page? Highlight the part you want by clicking at the beginning of the paragraph, then move to the end of the area you want and Shift Click. Presto, area is highlighted. A lot better than trying to do the click and drag stuff.

CTRL + K

Highlight Search bar.

CTRL + D

Bookmark current page.

CTRL + B

Show Bookmarks sidebar.

Common Keyboard Shortcuts

Ctrl+A

Select All

Ctrl+C

Copy

CTRL+V

Paste

CTRL+X

Copy and Remove

CTRL+Z

Undo

CTRL+Y

Redo the Undo

CTRL+B

Bold

CTRL+I

Italics

CTRL+U

Underline

CTRL+O

Open file - Explorer window

CTRL+P

Print - selection window

CTRL+S

Save As - Explorer window

CTRL+N

My Computer (from desktop)

Alt+Space

Activates Minimize/Maximize menu

Alt+F4

Close active program. (Or shutdown computer from desktop.)

Alt+Tab

Select programs you have running.

Ctrl-Shift-Right Arrow

Selects the word immediately to the right of the cursor.

Ctrl-Shift-Left Arrow

Selects the word immediately to the left of the cursor.

Shift-Home

Selects text from the cursor's current position to the beginning of the line.

Shift-End

Selects text from the cursor's current position to the end of the line.

Windows key + Tab

Vista - 3D Select from running programs.

Alt + Spacebar + M

Move current windows with arrow keys.

Email Keyboard Shortcuts - (Thunderbird)

CTRL+N

Write new message

CTRL+M

Write new email

N

Go to next unread message (from any panel)

B

Previous message

P

Goto Message Pane (right side)

CRTL+W

Close message/tab/calendar

CTRL+L

Forward message

CTRL+R

Reply

Shift+TAB+TAB

Return to folder list.

CRTL+Shift+B

Address Book

CTRL+Down Arrow

Calendar

CTRL+Shif+C

Calendar

Shift+Delete

Permanently delete mssg (when mssg is highlighted

CTRL + P

Print Message.

Windows 7 Keyboard Shortcuts

CTRL+Shift+N

Create new folder

CTRL+Shift+Click

Open program as administrator

Win+Shift+Left Arrow

Move active window to Left Monitor *

Win+Shift+Right Arrow

Move active window to Right Monitor *

Win+Up Arrow

Maximizes active window *

Win+Down Arrow

Minimizes active window *

Win+Right Arrow

Snaps active window to right half of screen *

Win+Left Arrow

Snaps active window to left half of screen *

CRTL+Alt+Down

Flips screen upside down - not sure of its usefulness

CTRL+Alt+Up

Flips screen back to right side up

* These keyboard shortcuts also work in Windows 8 and 10

Windows 8 & 10 Keyboard Shortcuts

Win Key

(also windows 7)

Hit Win key anytime & begin typing the name of the program. It will pop up after the first couple letters. Hit <Enter> to start program instantly.

Win + Q

Brings up the Apps icons

Win + D

Go to Desktop

Win + W

Go Ink Workspace

Win + R

Run box

Win + X

Shortcut menu to task mgr, comp.mgmt., etc.

Win + Up Arrow

Maximize window

Win + Down Arrow

Minimize window

Win + L

Lock Screen

Win+Alt+D

Windows Calendar & Time

Chrome Shortcuts

Alt + f

Open settings

Ctrl + Shift +b

Bookmarks Bar

Ctrl + Shift + o

Bookmarks Manager

Ctrl + f

Find (in current page)

Ctrl + l

Address Bar

Ctrl +d

Bookmark current page

Ctrl +

Make page text bigger

Ctrl -

Make page text smaller

Ctrl + 0 (zero)

Return page to default size

Space

Scroll Down a screen at a time

Ctrl + n

Open new window

Ctrl + t

Open new tab

Ctrl + w

Close current tab

Ctrl + 1 thru 8

Jump to specific tab

Alt + Left Arrow

Previous page

Alt + Right Arrow

Next page

F1

Chrome Help

F5

Reload/Refresh current page

F11

Full Screen Mode

Alt + F4

Close Chrome

Many previous normal keyboard shortcuts work in Windows 7, 8 & 10. You can find many by using your favourite search engine. We only list a few that we use regularly and make our day productive.

These are not all the keyboard shortcuts of course, just some of the most useful ones. Some shortcuts act differently when inside active programs.

If you use these frequently, you will remember most of them, making your computer use easier and quicker.

Try using several at a time until you get to remember them and they become automatic.

(Jul2016)

Toshiba Laptop makes French Characters

This may be more of a Vista problem than Toshiba. At any rate I was always having a problem while using Skype chat or MSN Messenger when my keyboard would suddenly decide to print French characters. It didn't seem to bother other word type programs.

If your Toshiba laptop prints French characters, here is how to put things back to normal. This may work for other brands too, I am not sure.

1) Capitol Lock On

2) Press Ctrl+Shift

in Vista the following sequence will take you to a panel that lists the keys for changing keyboard input.

Control Panel>Regional and Language Options>Keyboards and Languages>Change Keyboards>Change Key Sequence

Keyboard Shortcut Start Programs

Its debatable now days whether third party programs are required to start programs by using the keyboard.

Windows Key To Start

In Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, and 10, if you just hit the Windows key and begin typing the program name, it will appear after the first couple of letters. Hit Enter and the program starts almost immediately.

It appears many people that complain about Windows do not understand you can hit Win Key and just start typing to find most anything very quickly.

The response is usually quick if you are a keyboard type.

Remember The Program Name

Starting programs with the keyboard is normally much faster - so long as you can remember the name of the program you want.

If you see the icon to click on, you know the one you want. If you are a keyboard type, then you need to remember each and every program, but usually only need to type a letter or two.

If you practise and use keyboard shortcuts regularly you will soon remember them.